OAK’s Passenger Traffic Grows in 2009; On-Time Flights in 2010

Press Releases

February 8th, 2010

-- More Destinations; Upgraded Close-In Parking --

Oakland International Airport's recently published statistics show that passenger traffic increased during the fourth quarter of 2009. In the New Year, Bay Area travelers have more reasons to choose OAK, which is known for its convenience and efficiency, including on-time flights, more destinations, and convenient parking.

OAK served 816,229 passengers in December 2009, a 2.3 percent increase over December 2008, and the airport's second consecutive month of growth. Low fares, two new airlines, and six new destinations contributed to the increased passenger activity in 2009 as follows:

- Alaska Airlines inaugurated four weekly flights to Maui, and thrice-weekly service to Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii, in November;

- Allegiant Airlines, which began service in February, offers two weekly flights each to Bellingham International Airport, in Washington State, a gateway to British Columbia, Canada, and Eugene, Oregon's second largest city; and

- Volaris, the second largest airline in Mexico, offers daily flights to Guadalajara, Tijuana and Toluca. Toluca International Airport is conveniently located just 31 miles west of Mexico City, the country's capital. Volaris began serving OAK in July.

"The recent increase in passenger traffic at Oakland is encouraging, and may be an indicator of "green shoots" for the local economy," said Deborah Ale Flint, Acting Director of Aviation for the Port of Oakland, which owns and operates the airport. "We are thankful to our airline partners who responded to customer demand by adding more flights and destinations in 2009."

Despite extremely wet and wild weather in the San Francisco Bay Area in January 2010, OAK was named No. 1 for on-time arrivals among all North American airports with 86.4 percent of flights arriving at the gate on time, according to FlightStats. OAK also ranked No. 1 for calendar year 2009, with 86.9 percent of flights arriving on time. On-time performance is particularly important to business travelers for whom on-time arrivals and departures lead to increased productivity.

OAK is encouraging travelers to try the new convenient Premier Parking Lot, located "just footsteps to your flight," directly opposite Terminals 1 and 2. The Premier parking service includes point-of-sale technology, personal attention, and a low introductory price of $32 per day - the same rate as the Hourly Parking Lot - through Feb. 28, 2010. Benefits of the Premier Parking Lot include:

- Exclusive entry and exit lanes to minimize waiting;

- Credit Card Express: just swipe the same credit card upon entering and exiting, with no parking ticket to keep track of;

- Access to the Premier Security Lanes at the terminal security checkpoints - a huge time-saver; and

- Premier Ambassador Service which includes a free newspaper and water, and outgoing fax service.

FlightStats is an organization that tracks and compiles data about the airline industry. The company examined data for the 40 busiest airports in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and 45 U.S. scheduled passenger airlines. On time means flights arriving at the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. Visit flightstats.com for more information.

The Port of Oakland oversees Oakland International Airport, the Oakland seaport and 20 miles of waterfront, from the airport to Jack London Square in downtown Oakland. OAK is the second largest San Francisco Bay Area airport and fourth largest airport in California, offering over 140 daily flights. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland. Visit our website at oaklandairport.com. Join Oakland International Airport's fan page at facebook.com.